Tripping Out: Breaking Out and Setting Back the Kelly
Potential Hazards
- release of excess drilling mud resulting in skin contact, loss of footing, etc.
- being struck by the slip handles if the rotary table is used to spin the drill string
- being struck by the kelly if the pullback line unhooks when kelly is being pulled toward the rathole
The kelly is set back into the rathole. In this image, the kelly is operating and the rathole is shown with drill pipe in it.
Possible Solutions
- Shut down the mud pumps before breaking out the kelly.
- Close the mud saver valve on the kelly (if present).
- Use a mud bucket to divert flow of excess mud.
- Stand clear of the rotary table when it is rotating.
- Consider other technologies (such as a pipe spinner, kelly spinner, or top drive unit) to eliminate this hazard.
- Implement an effective pullback line attachment procedure.
- Ensure workers stand in a safe location away from the pullback line and rathole during this pullback operation.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
6-3. Which solution helps prevent being struck by the kelly if the pullback line unhooks when the kelly is being pulled toward the rathole?
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